Engage Consumers in a Snap

Thanks to the advent of the mobile messaging app Snapchat, that saying doesn’t hold as true as it once did. The app allows users to share photos, videos, and drawings with friends, but there’s a catch. Once they’ve been viewed, messages are only available for ten seconds before they disappear.

Since its release in 2011, Snapchat has become the third most popular social network among millennials. With upwards of 100 million daily active users, brands are turning to Snapchat to creatively share their story with consumers.

There are three different ways businesses can advertise using Snapchat. With a Snap Ad, companies can reach consumers via a ten-second mobile video that can be swiped for more content, whether that’s a longer video, an article, or a mobile website.

Snapchat’s other two advertising options are more interactive. Last year, P&G used Snapchat’s Sponsored Geofilters to promote a limited edition Covergirl makeup collection. It used geo-targeting around Ulta stores, the collection’s exclusive carrier. Anytime someone went to post a snap within a certain proximity to the stores, a branded filter popped up that they could overlay on their picture, which raised awareness for both Ulta and for the Covergirl collection.

Taco Bell recently found success advertising with Snapchat’s Sponsored Lenses. This option allows users to add special effects and sounds to their pictures, and send them to friends. For Cinco de Mayo, Taco Bell let Snapchatters transform their heads into giant tacos, complete with the brand’s famous “Bong” sound. The campaign was enormously successful—according to Adweek, it had over 224 million views in one day—in large part because it was engaging and creative. Not only did users play with the Lens, but they also shared it with friends and followers. Brand exposure was exponential.

Snapchat is having a moment in the spotlight, which benefits other social media platforms, too. Developing innovative ways to reach and engage consumers through social media advertising is now a constant process that is continuously evolving. At Harmon Group, we see social media as one of today’s most powerful marketing tools, and we stay on top of recent changes and new trends. Contact us now about creating a social media strategy that will produce results for your business.